Feed apparatus to gas-generators



S. MEREDITH.

Gas Retort;

///////////////////////W/A I J I/ I) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN MEREDITH, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA,

FEED APPARATUS. TO GAS-GENERATORS.

' Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,994, dated September 6, 1853.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN MEREDITH,

.of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Retort for Manufacturing Carbureted Hydrogen Gas from Coal-Tar, Rosin, &c; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, said drawing being a longitu; dinal vertical section of the retort, taken through the center. Y

The production of carbureted' hydrogen gas from coal-tar has been considered by English manufacturers as impracticable, on aeount of the product being too heavy and not mixing with'lighter gases. This, however, I have found by experiment to be a fallacy. My results have been perfectly satisfactory. One difficulty, however, is to be overcome, and that is a retort so constructed that the coal-tar, which is made to enter the retort in fluid form, will notcool the retort sutliciently to destroy the product and cause an incrustation of the tar to form on the sides of the retort, which incrustation. as it is burned, is formed into lamp black,

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a peculiar retort by which a heated surface is constantly presented to the tar fluid. This is efi'ected by placing within the retort a revolving cylinder upon which the fluid drops from a perforated pipe.

In the annexed drawing, A, represents the masonry which incloses the fire chamber B, flue, and a cylindrical retort C.

D, is a cylinder placed within the retort, C, the axis, (1)), of the cylinder, D, working in stuffing boxes, (a), (a), which prevent the escape of gas from the retort.

E, is a pipe or tube which passes longitudinally into the retort and. over the entire length of the cylinder, D. The portion of the pipe or tube, E, within the retort and over the cylinder, D, is perforated.

The difiiculty I experienced in using the v ordinary retort was its cooling. This difliculty arose from the fluid falling upon the sides of the retort. Every drop tended to cool it, and the retort finally became incrusted with the material, and would burn, thus losing the gaseous product, and obtaining merely lamp black. My invention it will be seen obviates this difliculty, and I am enabled to produce from one pound of coal-tar and water'ten feet of good gas, equal to the best of coal gas.

I do not confine myself to the use'of coaltar alone, for rosin and coal-tar mixed with water, and also-tar rosin and water, may be used. Y

My improvement may also be applied with advantage in rosin and oil works.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

The peculiar construction of the retort, as described, viz., having the retort, C, of cy- 1 lindrical shape, or of' other suitable shape, and placing within :it a revolving cylinder, D, which, as it rotates, constantly presents a heated surface to the fluid, and converts it into gas; preventing the fluid from cooling the retort, and also preventing the formation of any incrustation on the same, as set forth. 

